The Importance of Breakfast

We’ve all heard it: one of the best ways to start your day off right is with a healthy breakfast. In fact, skipping breakfast has been shown to increase the possibility of heart disease, high blood pressure, and obesity. In one study, men who skipped breakfast were 27% more likely to experience a heart attack or die from heart disease. The European Journal of Clinical Nutrition even found that breakfast-skipping is associated with other health-compromising behaviors in adults and adolescents such as alcohol and drug abuse. Bottom line: breakfast is pretty darn important for your health.

Why Oatmeal?

When choosing a health-conscious breakfast, you’ve probably heard a lot about oatmeal. Its high-fiber and complex carbs give you fuel to power your morning and curb hunger until your next healthy meal or snack. As a comparison to that bowl of cereal you might eat instead, the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that oatmeal helps control your food cravings and keeps you feeling more satiated than ready-to-eat dry cereal and milk. Why is oatmeal so much more successful at keeping your cravings in check? Oatmeal is higher in fiber and protein, and lower in sugar than its dry, processed counterpart.

While healthy and part of a smart eating plan, oatmeal doesn’t need to be a boring bowl of mush. You can spice it up with the addition of cinnamon or by adding fruits, nuts, or low-fat greek yogurt. These additions also boost the vitamins and protein of your morning meal.

A Summer Take on Oatmeal: Overnight Oats

Are you sold on the oatmeal idea, but don’t want a hot breakfast in the summer? Do you think oatmeal could use a little help in the taste & consistency departments? Or do you still struggle with fitting in a healthy breakfast? Overnight Oats could be your answer. Overnight Oats are a lot like classic hot oatmeal but instead of cooking the oats you soak them overnight in liquid (such as non-dairy milk, juice, or cow’s milk). Soaking oats instead of cooking them cuts your morning prep time, and also has the added benefit of making the nutrients more easily absorbed by your body. It’s a win for your health and your morning time-crunch.

With more texture and flavor, zero morning prep-time, and even more health benefits than hot oatmeal, Overnight Oats are a fantastic choice for a quick, healthy, and satisfying new breakfast routine.

To make Overnight Oats, you soak raw rolled oats overnight in liquid (such as almond or soy milk) along with your chosen additional ingredients (such as nuts, seeds, and dried fruit). In the morning, Voila!, you have a delicious wholesome breakfast ready to power your day and keep you on track with your healthy eating goals. Not only does soaking the oats overnight save you on active prep time, but soaking the oats, nuts, and seeds helps your body better digest and absorb their nutrients. You can also make one large batch of Overnight Oats to last you a few days, making it a serious time-saver.

Overnight Oats with Strawberries & Chia

Serves 1 (double or triple to make breakfast for the week)

½ cup Quaker Oats Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats

½ cup 2% Low Fat Plain Greek Yogurt

½ cup Almond Milk Unsweetened

4 Strawberries (fresh or frozen)

1 Tbsp Chia seeds

1 tsp Ground cinnamon

Total Calories per serving: 330

Directions:

Pour oats and almond milk into a sealable container (like a Tupperware or mason jar).

Add the yogurt and chia seeds, and stir until combined.

Seal the container and place in fridge overnight. In the morning, add your sliced strawberries and cinnamon to taste.

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Now that the weather’s warm and the days are longer, it’s a nice opportunity to get out of the gym and into the fresh summer air. Running, outdoor workout areas, and even outdoor yoga classes can be great summer exercise, but have you thought about swimming? You might want to consider it: some studies have shown that swimming burns up to 25% more calories than running. Public pools, beaches, ponds, and lakes are all great places to take your leap into swimming for exercise. And why not? With minimal gear required, and impressive physical and mental benefits, it’s worth giving swimming a try.

The Burn

In terms of calorie burn, swimming breaststroke is the most bang for your buck: a 175 lb person will burn 132 calories in just 10 minutes of swimming! Breaststroke is also great for working the muscle groups of the back, glutes, and thighs. For more focus on your core, try swimming freestyle or “crawl” stroke: your abdominals and obliques work the hardest as they stabilize your body while your arms reach and extend out in front of you. Find your breaststroke and crawl video tutorials here and here to learn how to perfect your swimming form before getting in the water.

A Longer Life?

Not only does swimming burn calories, but it can also add years to your life. Professor Steven Blair PED, who does exercise research at the University of North Carolina, found the following in a recent study:

Swimmers [have a] significantly lower risk of all-cause mortality compared not only to those with sedentary lifestyles (which was something we had expected), but also to either walkers or joggers. The plain fact is that swimming, water jogging and aqua aerobics are physical activities that can be pursued for a lifetime and have benefits comparable and possibly superior to those found with walking or running.

Better for your Joints

If you have joint aches or are recovering from an injury, swimming is a gentle alternative to land-based exercise. While you kick and paddle your way towards calorie burn, the buoyancy of the water supports your joints, preventing the kind of weight-bearing impact that occurs while walking or jogging. This is why swimming and water aerobics is recommended to many athletes with injuries – because it allows you to strenghen muscles safely while avoiding further trauma.

Mental Health

But swimming also goes beyond the physical in terms of keeping you happy and healthy. You’ve heard about the benefits of meditation, right? Swimming taps into the same rhythmic breathing techniques and mind-body connection, and can give you a similar feeling of peace and calm as you glide through the water.

Get Going

So what do you need to get started? All you’ll need are goggles, a comfortable bathing suit (for the ladies: one piece or sturdy two-piece), and a towel. If you have long hair and don’t want it getting in the way you might also want a swim cap but it’s not required.

A few notes on safe swimming:

Always swim with a buddy, or at a pool with lifeguards on duty

If you’re lake or pond swimming, stay close to shore so that you’re close to land if you get tired

If you do swim across a pond or lake, make sure you have a spotter (a friend in a kayak works) to keep boat traffic at a safe distance

Always abide by swimming area guidelines, and if you have any questions, ask the lifeguard!

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You can enjoy a cocktail or two without ruining your calorie budget, provided you follow a few simple rules. Identifying calorie-packed cocktails isn’t difficult and once you know what to look for, you can enjoy an adult beverage without sabotaging your healthy eating plan.

1. Ditch the Opaque Drinks

Cocktails that you can’t see through are almost certainly harboring extra calories and fat. The reason for the opaqueness is almost always a form of dairy, from regular full fat milk to ice-cream; these full-fat mixers can have hundreds of calories in even a small amount. Brandy Alexanders, Mudslides and even White Russians can be prepared with heavy cream or even ice-cream, so be sure to ask about the mixers or request skim milk before you order. Vegan options don’t fare any better; the coconut milk in your Pina Colada is packed full of calories, too! If you can’t see through a cocktail, ask what’s in it before you drink it to avoid downing dozens of extracalories.

2. Bypass Frozen Beverages

While a frosty daiquiri or colada by the pool sounds refreshing and may even taste light, beverages served blended with ice are usually packed with calories. Foods that are frozen are generally more heavily sweetened than their “over ice” counterparts. If you have ever tasted melted ice-cream, you know how overly sweet it can be. Things taste less sweet when frozen, so food and beverage makers pack frozen treats with sugar to make them appealing. Any beverage that comes premixed and slushy is likely harboring a lot of sugar and you won’t be able to tell by taste alone. Skip the high calorie premade frozen beverages or make your own in a blender so you know exactly what’s inside.

3. Opt for Diet / No Cal Mixers

Ask your server to switch the full sugar cola, ginger ale, energy drink or syrup in your Mojito or Rum & Coke and you’ll cut a significant amount of calories. While the spirits added to popular soda mixed drinks do have calories, switching the soda portion to a sugar free variety will save over 100 calories per beverage.

4. Choose Infused Spirits

An infused vodka or rum served on the rocks has all of the flavor of a mixed drink but lacks the added calories from syrup or soda. From exotic spices to refreshing citrus, a flavored spirit can allow you to enjoy your drink without packing on the pounds. You can also ask for your drink to be diluted with water or sparkling water to cut the punch of the alcohol and make the drink last longer.

5. Go Garnish Free

Even a low calorie beverage can pick up plenty of excess calories when served with a sugared rim, sugar laden fruits or other sweet garnishes. If you see a lot of fancy and high calorie decorated beverages passing your table just specify that you want sugar free or garnish free when placing your order.

Choosing lower cal cocktails and adult drinks is more about avoiding added sugar and fat than it is about selecting one particular ingredient or brand. Knowing which types of drinks and formulations to choose and which to bypass can cut the calories you and help you stay on budget.

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Starting your day with breakfast can help improve your mood, boost your energy, and help prevent you from overeating later on. But what if you don’t have time for breakfast? And aren’t many of the quick options such as breakfast sandwiches and burritos close to 500 calories?

Good news. Breakfast doesn’t have to take all morning long to prepare and it doesn’t have to set you back lots of calories. Here are five breakfast ideas that take less than 10 minutes to prepare and all weigh in at 300 calories or less.

Overnight oats

250-300 calories

Overnight oats have become very popular because of their combination of convenience and nutrition. Simply prepare in the evening and when you wake up your breakfast is ready and waiting. Added bonus: make this breakfast in a Mason jar with a lid and it’s instantly portable. How perfect is that?

A simple overnight oats recipe:

Adapted from The Oh She Glows Cookbook by Angela Liddon

Servings: 3

1 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk

1 cup old-fashioned oats (not instant; gluten-free if needed)

¼ cup chia seeds

1 mashed banana

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Topping suggestions:

Fresh berries or sliced bananas

Shredded, unsweetened coconut

Nuts or nut butter

Maple syrup or honey

Mix almond milk, oats, chia seeds, banana, and cinnamon together in a bowl. Cover and chill in refrigerator overnight. Scoop into a parfait bowl or glass jar and add toppings of your choice. Enjoy!

Total calories per serving when prepared as above and topped with one-fourth cup of berries: About 260.

Poached Egg on an English Muffin

260 calories

Wait a minute—a poached egg? Like eggs Benedict? That sounds way too fancy. You are right, it does sound fancy. But it’s actually quite quick and simple to make. After you have made this three times, you will have it mastered.

A poached egg recipe:

Servings: 1

1 large egg

1 pinch of salt

Fill a wide casserole pan with an inch or two of water. Bring to a simmer and add the salt. Crack the egg into a ramekin. Remove the pan from heat and gently tip egg it into the ramekin. Cover pan and let sit for five minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove, drain on a paper towel if desired, and serve. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Total calories per serving when served with one whole wheat English muffin and two teaspoons of butter: About 260.

Nut-butter on Whole Grain Toast

200 calories

Almond, cashew, and peanut… smooth and chunky… no salt or salted… there are a variety of nut butters out there. Rather than always buying the same kind, why not mix it up and try different types? You may find that you like one kind better than another, but they are all fairly comparable in terms of nutrition, containing a healthy mix of fat and protein to keep you going all morning long. Just watch out for the sweetened ones! Sunflower seed butter is a great alternative for those with nut allergies.

No recipe needed for this option! Simply spread a tablespoon of nut or seed butter on whole grain or sprouted grain toast, top with some fresh fruit, such as sliced bananas or strawberries, and you have a complete breakfast.

Total calories for one slice of toasted, sprouted whole grain bread topped with one tablespoon almond butter and one-fourth cup of sliced strawberries: About 200.

Smoothie

250 – 300 calories

Smoothies are the ultimate option when it comes to speed and convenience, but you’ll want to make sure you include some protein to balance out the fruit. Good protein sources include yogurt, milk, kefir, soymilk, and protein powder. Skip the fruit juice and stick to fresh or frozen fruit. Definitely add some leafy greens to if you want—they are super low in calories, but rich in nutrients and fiber.

Granola, Fruit, and Yogurt Parfait

275 calories

This is a classic breakfast that is quick to assemble and can also be portable. Opt for plain Greek yogurt for the most protein and least sugar and look for a granola that isn’t loaded with sugar and contains a variety of grains, such as oats, quinoa, spelt, and amaranth. Fresh berries make a beautiful addition to parfaits, but chopped peaches, plums, pears, and oranges are also delicious. To make this portable, simply add the yogurt to a spill-proof container or Mason jar. Top with the fresh fruit and the granola. If you prefer your granola stay completely crunchy until ready to eat, pack it into a separate container.

Total calories for six ounces of plain, non-fat Greek yogurt plus one-third cup of granola and one half cup of blueberries: About 275.

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It’s hot out there! What better way to cool off than with an icy cold popsicle? (Insert childhood memories here!) From sweet berry to creamy coconut to rich chocolate, there is a popsicle for every taste. While some are healthier than others, one of the beauties of these frozen treats is that they come in a pre-portioned size. What’s more, you can even make them yourself. Let’s run through all the tasty options!

Grocery Store Options

Most grocery stores carry a variety of popsicles. Nutritionally speaking there are definitely some that are better than others— you just have to know what to look for. Here are some tips on choosing the right store-bought treat:

Ingredients: Do a quick scan of the ingredient list. Does it contain added sugar? Is sugar one of the first ingredients? Does it contain high fructose corn syrup? Artificial coloring or flavoring? Ingredients you can’t pronounce? If it does, skip it and look for something without the aforementioned additions (or at least only one of them).

Serving Size: Look at the total calories per serving and see how that would fit into your budget. Fortunately, most popsicles are a lot lower in calories than ice-cream bars. With the right low-calorie version, popsicles are cool swap for your sweet tooth with a fraction of the calories in other desserts.

Nutrition Needs: Traditional popsicles are 100% carbohydrates. They are essentially frozen juice. If you are looking for something with a little protein and fat, go for the ones with a little dairy in them. Greek yogurt based treats are excellent because they provide a high amount of protein, but keep the total calories down. Non-dairy alternatives such as coconut or almond milk based treats are good choices for those looking to steer clear of dairy.

DIY (Do It Yourself)

Perhaps even more fun than perusing the popsicle aisle is making them yourself. If you haven’t already tried this, it’s easier than you think. All you need are a few good ingredients, popsicle molds (or small Dixie cups and popsicle sticks), a freezer, and a little patience.

Ingredient Suggestions

A homemade popsicle can come to life with a variety of simple ingredients—many of these you probably already have at home:

In addition to being a fun activity, when you make your own popsicles you can make them even healthier and prettier than the store bought ones. Tips: Adding a little sweetener will help it taste sweet and not as icy when frozen. If you’re okay with a little ice, you can limit or skip the added sugar and instead add ingredients such as vanilla, lemon, or coconut water for extra flavor. Experiment with different ingredients to find your favorite texture.

Not sure what kind of popsicle to make? Do a quick search on Pinterest or your favorite recipe sites for inspiration. Ask your kids. Look at what you have on hand. Look at what produce is in season.

A perfect post-work out treat, this popsicle is higher in calories, but packed healthy fat, protein, and carbohydrates. The ingredients include almond milk, bananas, peanut butter, chocolate chips, coconut oil, and salted peanuts.

So go ahead and cool down with a frozen treat on-a-stick. Store-bought or homemade, there is a popsicle for every taste and nutrition need that’s bound to fit nicely into your freezer and your calorie budget. Got a favorite popsicle recipe? Don’t forget to share it with us via Twitter or Facebook!

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Here at Lose It! we’ve always believed that folks should use whichever program helps them lose weight in a safe, sustainable way. We know many Lose It! members track their calories alongside with their Weight Watchers points and asked one of our power members, Jennifer Sader, who uses both programs, to give an honest review of her experience between Weight Watchers and Lose It! Premium.

Note: I am a Lose It! Premium member and a Weight Watchers member. Obviously, I see value in both memberships. All opinions expressed here are my own and have no endorsement from the Weight Watchers organization.

As a member of Weight Watchers ($19.99+ per month) and Lose It! Premium ($39.99/year), I frequently bounce back and forth between the two. I love Lose It!’s interface, but also want access to my WW PointsPlus totals. (I tried integrating them through the Health App and did not have a good experience). In moments of extreme obsessive-compulsiveness, I tried logging in both, which takes too much time but did help me compare the two programs. Here’s what I’ve found.

Tracking System

Weight Watchers has two techniques for tracking: Points Plus and Simply Filling. Most fruits and vegetables are 0 Points Plus on both plans.

Lose It! has one technique: Tracking calories. You log what you eat and the exercise you complete with the goal of staying in your target calorie budget.

Look & Feel

The Lose It! look and feel is my favorite thing about the app! It’s clean and uncluttered, with cute food category icons that, it turns out, are not just there for decoration (I’ll explain later).

Unfortunately, the Weight Watchers app is really starting to show its age. The design has not changed for years, and now feels dated along with frequent crashes and slow responses.

Check out the food logs from each app:

Weight Watchers Log

Lose It! Log

Interface for Logging a New Meal

Both Lose It! and WW have a search feature for entering new foods and a barcode scanner. The database for the two apps seems similar in size.

Weight Watchers has a unique feature, Snap & Track, which allows the member to take a photo of a meal then enter the foods that make up that meal later. This feature is a great way to stay on track when I’m too busy or when tracking would be awkward, like when I’m out to lunch with a friend. Weight Watchers also has PointsPlus-friendly recipes accessible through the app.

Lose It!’s recent Quick Add Calorie feature makes logging on the go a lot faster. While no meal photos are in the current version of the program, this new feature does make logging easier when I’m in a hurry.

Log Previous Meals

Like many people, I eat similar meals frequently. I like that Lose It! allows me to enter a new meal from a previous one. I can search for specific foods that were a part of the meal, re-log the meal, and edit quantities or leave out foods I didn’t repeat.

Weight Watchers has something similar, but it’s not organized by meals. Instead, you can select from Recently Added foods and check several items to add at once. This is a little less convenient and sometimes gives me trouble, especially when I’m trying to log my breakfast at lunchtime and have to change the mealtime for every single item.

Exercise Options

Both the Weight Watchers and the Lose It! Premium apps allow me to enter exercise manually or connect Apple Health, or a FitBit, Jawbone UP, or Misfit tracker to sync activity. Weight Watchers adds the Garmin VivoFit and their proprietary activelink devices.

Community Features

Both programs have a lot of social support built into them, which is really helpful for those losing weight.

The Weight Watchers message boards allow members to connect and share tips and tricks for sticking with the program, or bond over common interests. At one time, I was very active on a Triathlon thread that even met in person to do a race. In the app and on the website, Weight Watchers has a 24/7 chat support option, staffed by leaders and receptionists, to help people who are struggling in real time. They also recently added a Personal Coaching option for an additional cost.

In Lose It! there are forums (which are a lot like the Weight Watchers message boards) and Community Groups.. There are thousands of groups ranging from weight loss to groups for new mothers.

Challenges

Weight Watchers has a Challenge function on the website, but neither it nor the Message Boards are supported in the mobile app. Groups that meet up in the message boards often do informal challenges.

Lose It! Challenges allow you to compete against others in areas such as eating fruits and veggies, logging the most days or burning the most calories available to all types of members. One challenge in particular, known as The Lose It! Challenge, is really engaging and intense. During this type of challenge, a Lose It! member earns points for losing weight, eating healthy and exercising. You can compete against others in the community to see how your efforts stack up. The Lose It! Challenge can be joined (and created) by Lose It! Premium members. 3-4 times per year Lose It! opens this type of challenge up to all members.

Progress Reports & Data Insights

Weight Watchers has some progress reporting available through the website, but not in the app itself. Within the app there is a weight tracker but for the other reporting you’ll need to visit your online account.

Lose It! has always had reports available through the site, but Lose It! Premium recently added “Insights” in-app where you can dig into your foods and exercises, like to see how many calories are typically in each meal, and also my favorite feature: Patterns.

Patterns was recently introduced and has been constantly updated since I first reviewed it. Patterns uses those cute little icons in Lose It! to determine how eating different types of foods correlates with calorie budget compliance, and these can be interesting. For example, my Patterns includes a recommendation to drink more iced tea, because I tend to stay within my budget when I do.

My experience with Patterns also highlights one area Lose It! is pulling ahead– adding new features to the program and fixing them quickly if an issue arrises.

Check out a few screen shots from Patterns and Insights:

INSIGHTS: My nutrition insights help me see how I’m doing on meeting my nutrient goals compared with last week.

Summary

Weight Watchers has helped a lot of people lose weight. However, the app has been languishing for lack of attention and needs a serious update.

Lose It! Premium is an economical option for someone who likes a lot of flexibility, data, and features. The app is updated frequently and the Lose It! team is very responsive to member feedback and feature requests.

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Cool salads are perfect for summer. They are light, refreshing and make use of all the fresh veggies that are in season! Another great thing– salads can be made ahead of time! But are they filling enough to be a complete meal and not leave you hungry an hour later? They most certainly can be. It’s all about building a salad that is substantial enough calorie wise and includes several different healthful ingredients.

In general, you should try to include at least three different components to your salad: veggies, protein, and fat. Wait a minute, fat? Yes, fat! The days of viewing fat as a villain are long gone. Since fat takes a long time for your body to digest, it will fill you up and keep you full for longer, and also helps your body to absorb more vitamins. Fat is more calorie dense than protein or carbs, so it’s important to keep your portions in check when sticking to a calorie budget, but you don’t want to skimp on this nutrient.

Here is a guide for building your own filling summer salad:

Veggies

Veggies should make up the majority of your salad—it’s a salad after all! Most salads contain a leafy green component, such as romaine, arugula, or spinach. In general, darker leafy greens contain more nutrition than lighter ones such as iceberg. Here’s a list of veggies to get you started:

Roastedveggies: Asparagus, beets, squash, and eggplant taste delicious when roasted and leftovers are great to add to salads.

Grilledveggies: Too hot to turn on the oven? Why not grill up some veggies instead. Asparagus, zucchini, summer squash, and portabella mushrooms all cook up quickly on the grill.

As you probably know, veggies are super high in fiber! Fiber slows down your body’s rate of digestion, so can help keep you fuller for longer. It also helps with blood sugar regulation, digestive health, and heart health. Go fiber!

Protein

Including protein in your salad will help you feel satisfied right after eating and several hours later. Fortunately, many salad ingredients already contain a bit of protein. For example, most veggies contain 2 grams of protein per ½ cup serving; cheese and nuts contain even more.
Include one or more of the following to increase the protein content of your salad:

Nuts and seeds: Almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds are all tasty additions to a salad. Toast nuts to bring out their flavor even more.

Cheese: Flavorful cheeses such as feta, blue, and goat work well in salads; all you need is a little cheese and you’ve got a nice flavor boost.

Lentils: Packed with protein and fiber, choose firmer lentils for adding to salads, such as French, black beluga, or brown.

Chickpeas or beans: Nothing beats the convenience of canned chickpeas or beans. Simply drain, rinse, and top your salad.

Hummus: Works almost like a dressing with your salad.

Hard boiled eggs: Store unpeeled hard boiled eggs in your refrigerator for up to a week.

Chicken: Whether freshly grilled, a store-bought rotisserie chicken, or last night’s leftovers, chicken works well with almost any salad.

Fattyfish: Whether you choose grilled wild salmon or canned light tuna, these additions will also add a dose of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids to your salad.

Fat

Every meal should include a little fat. Fat helps fill you up and makes sure you absorb the fat soluble vitamins in your salad. Fat is very calorie dense, so be sure to measure it out. Aim for 2 teaspoons of oil, 1 tablespoon of dressing, ¼ of an avocado, ¼ cup of nuts, 2 ounces of cheese, or 1 strip of bacon per portion.

Salad dressing: Extra-virgin olive oil based dressings are a great choice because of the heart healthy fats found in olive oil; if possible, make your own dressing.

Avocado: Delicious whether chopped or as part of a creamy dressing.

Nutsandseeds: Whether you choose peanuts, walnuts, macadamia, hazelnuts, pecans, cashews, or seeds, all provide a dose of healthy fat along with their protein.

Cheese: Whether you go for creamy mozzarella or flavor-packed feta or gorgonzola, cheese is a classic salad addition.

Bacon: While not typically thought of as a healthy salad topping, bacon is fine when added in small amounts to boost flavor.

Below are a couple of salad recipes that we love. Feel free to make your own spin on a either one and be sure to share your salad tips with us on Facebook or Twitter!